When the world went dark
by HassleCastle
Summary: A post Cols MAlec story. Post break up angst, drama, adventure and hurt/comfort. Rated M for Self harm, violence, and a psychologically disturbed Alec. Meanwhile, if Magnus got the opportunity, would he betray Alec? When Alec is abducted could his friends or Magnus find him in time? BEWARE Some graphic/disturbing torture later on.
1. Broken up

**A post Cols Alec Angst story based on his break up with Magnus. No tears but self harm, violence, and a psychologically disturbed Alec. Mainly based on Alec. Appearance of Jace, Izzy and maybe Magnus. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters which belong to Cassandra Clare**

_He turned and walked away, his hands in his pockets—walking slowly, as if he were injured, and not just from the cut in his side. But he was walking away just the same. Alec watched him until he moved beyond the glow of the witchlight and out of sight._

Alec felt his heart being shredded by razor blades. He felt his heart struggling to burst out of his chest and follow Magnus with each step that he took away from him. He wanted to beg, to cry, not just stand there like an idiot as his one truelove abandoned him. He couldn't breathe with the hole in his chest Magnus was leaving behind. He felt numb and empty, as if he had lost a limb and couldn't feel the pain just yet. He knew somewhere deep within a wellspring of grief and guilt were building up fast, yet at the moment he only allowed himself to feel rage. A killing fury which made him see red. _How dare Camille betray him! She thought he was weak. He would show her how her _weak _ally would slit her throat. _Alec fled into the dark to find the vampire; fled from his aching heart and gnawing guilt; as if he ran fast enough he could leave all his pain behind…

"_Maureen," he said. "You're Simon's Maureen."_

_She looked pleased. "I am," she said. "I'm Simon's Maureen." _

_She looked down at her hands, which were gloved in blood, as if she'd plunged them into a pool of the stuff. And not human blood, either, Alec thought. The dark, ruby-red blood of vampires._

"_You're looking for Camille," she said in a singsong voice. "But she isn't here anymore. Oh, no. She's gone."_

"_She's gone?" Alec demanded. "What do you mean she's gone?"_

_Maureen giggled. "You know how vampire law works, don't you? Whoever kills the head of a vampire clan becomes its leader. And Camille was the head of the New York clan. Oh, yes, she was."_

"_So—someone killed her?"_

_Maureen burst into a happy peal of laughter. "Not just someone, silly," she said. "It was me."_

Alec trudged back home on autopilot. Maureen had sang " You might want to let the Clave know" before she had vanished down the tunnel with the supernatural speed of all vampires, leaving Alec whirling in shock. It was with difficulty he had restrained himself from following her. He had been so furious, so frustrated that he had been denied killing Camille, that anyone would have sufficed- especially the vampire who had deprived him of that satisfaction.

Alec's mind was a haze of pain, frustration, rage and guilt. Magnus had been everything he had ever wanted, and in his bumbling efforts to keep it working he had inadvertently ended it. _My fault_ he thought. _All my fault_. He felt the agony amplify. _Why couldn't he trust Magnus with everything?_ He had been so terrified that he would not love him if he grew old, so sure he would move on to someone else eventually, that he had never conceived Magnus could '_want' _ to grow old; that he could love him enough to die with him. And his fears had annihilated any chance of that beautiful possibility. He felt a dry sob escape his lips and his body trembled with the effort to keep his anguish contained.

Alec realized with detached surprise that he was in his room, sitting on the floor against the wall. He did not remember getting home or riding up the elevator, but he must have. He kept hearing Magnus say _**"It's over. I don't want to see you again, Alec. Or any of your friends. I'm tired of being their pet warlock." **_His mind was a haze. But just beyond the pain and the guilt and rage was a yawning emptiness which threatened to engulf him. There he knew lay relief and oblivion. A large part of him wanted relief desperately, but the rest of him knew that it was a road of no return. A path where he would lose himself. There would be no Alec, no guilt, no pain. How tempting… Was there a point to retaining one's self if every second was pain?

He knew on some essential level that he was not thinking clearly. That there were good reasons not to embrace the oblivion of insanity- for that is what the void was- insanity. But he didn't know what those reasons were. If only he could think this through- but he couldn't think it through. The void was growing on his mind second by second and he was losing the will to fight it. In desperation and half unconsciously he pulled a blade from his belt and slashed his arm.

There was a sharp burning pain. It gave him a moment of absolute clarity before his body got used to the pain and the haze slowly started creeping back over his thoughts. Yet the burning in his arm gave him something to focus on and block out the emptiness, maybe even think coherently to an extent. He glanced down. It was an only an inch long shallow cut on the inside of his lower arm a little below the crease of his elbow.

It was then that he had the idea. If he made more cuts he would be able to think clearly- Hell- he might even be able to function normally. Carefully he made another incision an inch below the first, than another, than another until he had six identical bleeding cuts neatly in a row (Any lower and he would risk cutting arteries). He then proceeded with the other arm till it was identical to the first. With each cut came clarity and the ability to think coherently. The gaping wounds looked like the gills of a fish he thought tiredly. They were all bleeding profusely so that he was sitting in a pool of blood and there were flecks on the wall too. He felt tired, surprisingly sleepy when he had thought he'd never be able to sleep again with Magnus' face imprinted before his eyes. But even the Magnus in his mind was growing blurry, as was the room before his eyes. An image in the water, which was disturbed than slowly dissolved into darkness. As his mind faded he dimly registered someone banging at the door. S_omeone had been knocking for a long time_- he reflected idly, _Izzy could get so annoyingly persistent sometimes_. He blacked out with a faint smile of affection for his sister on his face.

Isabelle was panicking. She had spotted Alec further down the corridor sometime ago. He was walking as if he was hurt- his usually confidant stride a shuffling gate. She had called out to him, concerned but he had either not heard or not noticed. Nearly to his bedroom, he had locked the door behind himself by the time she hurried over. She had knocked lightly at first, more persistently later, but he had not responded. Not even an angry "Go away" or "I'm busy". She had left than assuming he must be in the shower. After all the first thing they all did after getting back from a fight was to shower extensively to get all the blood and ichor of themselves as well as to wash up any wounds, before healing them. But an hour later there was still no response even when she pounded the door with enough force to break it.

"Alec open up right now I'm breaking in!" Her voice carried a trace of hysteria. Isabelle who never panicked.

"Something wrong?" asked a mild voice.

She whirled around. It was Jace leaning casually against the wall watching her with a slightly concerned look.

"I don't know. I saw Alec in the corridor from a distance and he looked hurt. So I followed him to his room but he hasn't said a word during all my knocking. Nothing. Not even a sound" Izzy said tripping over her words.

"May be he's sulking over something. Maybe he doesn't want to see you right now"

"I don't think so. He would have been very annoyed by now and shouted 'GO AWAY' or something. I think we should check. He could be hurt" said Izzy biting her lip worried out of her mind yet reluctant to break into Alec's room. Alec was a very private person. She did not like to enter without permission.

Jace stepped around her without a qualm, all seriousness now, and carved an opening rune into the door. The lock clicked and the door swung open when Jace turned the handle. Jace strode in, Izzy following more reluctantly. They both froze. Alec was sitting propped up against the wall, white as a sheet and drenched in blood from the arms down. He seemed to be sitting in a large pool of blood. His skin had a bluish tinge.

'Alec!' they cried in unison and leaped across the room. Jace tried to find a pulse on his neck while Izzy fumbled for her stele, with a shaking hand.

"He's alive" said Jace, voice hoarse with relief as his fingers felt the faint beat of his struggling heart in the ice cold form. Izzy started drawing the Iratze on Alec's wrist just below the slashed wounds.

"Jace, look at these" said Izzy indicating the slashes across Alec's forearms and knife lying next to his hand. She finished the Iratze and the gashes began to knit back rapidly.

"Why was he trying to kill himself?" said Izzy in a choked voice.

"What makes you so sure he was?" Jace was trying to rub some warmth into Alec's icy hands. "He could have slit his wrists if he was suicidal. Instead all the cuts were on his arms."

"But he must have managed to nick an artery. Because otherwise the bleeding should have stopped by now"

"Maybe it was an accident" said Jace quietly

"Accident, my foot! Did you even see those gaping measured slices across his arms? Each one was exactly the same length and the same distance from the others."

"I meant the nicking an artery bit"

It was at that moment that Alec's eyelids fluttered. "Alec?" they both said

Alec came to consciousness slowly. He heard voices but he couldn't make sense of what they said. He was tired and cold. He ached everywhere. He was also afraid. There was something he couldn't remember. Something painful. But the black. yawning emptiness was approaching again. If only Magnus would hold his hand he may find the strength to keep it at bay. It was then that memory overtook him. The memories came sharp and clear, and brought the same shock and trauma he had experienced the first time through. It was like a nightmare which gripped him and refused to let him go. He relived every second.

_You had to come all the way here, to this abandoned subway station, to deliver that message? You don't think you could have delivered essentially the same message by, perhaps, staying away? _

Every word was a knife stab

_I was thinking about it, you know, that's part of why I wanted the Book of the White. Immortality can be a burden. You think of the days that stretch out before you, when you have been everywhere, seen everything. The one thing I hadn't experienced was growing old with someone I loved. I thought perhaps it would be you. _

His heart throbbed. He gasped for breath with lungs which seemed to be drowning

_It's over. I don't want to see you again, Alec. Or any of your friends. I'm tired of being their pet warlock. _

The dark empty abyss crept closer.

_I love you. Not that that changes anything._

It was only than that he realized that that the comforting burning pain in his arms was gone.

_You didn't trust me. You never have._

He was once again alone in a haze of pain without an anchor to keep him sane. Unconsciously his hand searched his belt for another knife.

Jace and Isabelle were kneeling beside Alec waiting for him to regain consciousness. Alec's eyelid's fluttered, his fingers twitched and he groaned. 'Alec' Izzy called anxiously. Alec did not respond. His breathing hitched and than he was gasping for breath and thrashing. As if he could not get enough air.

"What's wrong with him?" Izzy demanded in panic. "Didn't the Iratze work?"

"I don't know" said Jace "It seemed to at the time..." He was trying to hold Alec's head up to help him breath. Alec had ended up flat on the floor as he thrashed. Alec's heartbeat increased rapidly like he was running or terrified. He took a shuddering breath (much to Jace and Izzy's relief) and started moaning words.

"It looks like he having a nightmare" said Jace confused.

"No" whispered Alec in a broken voice. "Don't go!"

"Alec" Izzy called again shaking his shoulder. "Alec, It's not real. Wake up!"

He did not respond. When he did move, it was so sudden she could not stop him. His hand whipped to his belt to curl around a knife. Jace, always lightening fast caught his wrist and forcefully dragged it away from the knife. He pulled Alec from the back of his collar and propped him against the wall again. He looked furious. "Open your eyes! Open your eyes right now!" He demanded. "Alec?" Izzy called tentatively.

Alec could hear someone calling his name. He realized someone had been calling his name for a while. It was a reality he could hold on to. Something which might lead him to light. Someone demanded he open his eyes. But he did not want to face a world without Magnus. It was the gentleness in Izzy's voice which gave him the courage to return to reality slowly.

When Izzy saw recognition in Alec's open blue eyes the relief made her knees weak. "What were you thinking? Are you out of your mind" Jace's choked voice broke in.

"I couldn't think" Alec whispered not meeting his eyes.

"What happened?" Izzy asked gently

Alec shook his head. What had happened? Alec didn't know what to say; where to begin or not begin. Even thinking his name hurt let alone saying it.

After a long pause he said quietly "we broke up".

It was said in a steady unemotional voice yet the words ate him up inside. The pain in his chest felt as if Magnus had stolen his heart and left a gaping hole behind. Those two words 'break up' were so hugely inadequate to what he was feeling, to what had happened that he almost felt he was telling an untruth. Yet he could not even begin to describe the guilt and pain gnawing at his soul.

"Oh Alec!" said Izzy giving him a hug. She felt solid and comforting in his arms. He realized she was someone to hold on to when the darkness threatened to smother him. She was a reason to live.

"I'll be alright" said Alec releasing her and a greater lie he had never told. As Izzy moved away she glimpsed an ocean of pain and bewilderment in his eyes before the stoic mask was back.

"Why?"asked Jace tersely. "Why did you break up?"

Alec physically shied away from them, so great was the pain that threatened to overwhelm him. He did not want to remember the whys. He did not want to relive any of it. He just shook his head, face pale and apprehensive.

"My fault" he murmured.

Jace exchanged a worried look with Izzy. Alec was trembling.

"Alec?" Izzy asked gently

He just shook his head harder. Jace sighed. Alec was a wreck right now.

"How about you go shower while we clean up the room. You look like you could sleep a couple of days."

Alec nodded gratefully for the change of topic, grabbed clothes from the dresser and disappeared into the bathroom. He was terrified of closing his eyes but a hot shower should be comforting.

**Feel free to leave reviews. Constructive criticism will be very much appreciated. **


	2. Memmories

**Sorry guys for the huge gap between chapters. It has been an absolute fiasco here at my place. I had house guests- my cousin and her two toddlers who drove everyone up the wall. They managed to destroy everything in their range. Then there was a huge poetry recital which seemed to need thorough spring cleaning. Anyways hopefully things would be better now. And thank you for all the reviews and follows- which egg me on to write. Oh and if you see a mistake just copy paste it at the bottom. Please? **

"Do you think we could give him something to sleep?" asked Izzy. "He looks haunted".

"Give him what?" said Jace soaking up another spongeful of the blood on the floor and washing it in the bucket. "I've never been able to replicate Hodge's sleep potion. And there is no sleep rune. God knows I've had way too many sleepless nights."

"What if we gave him mundane medication?" said Izzy wiping bloody spots on the wall with a damp cloth

"Their medication doesn't work very well on shadowhunters, you know… wait a minute! What if there was a sleep rune…"

"What do you mean?"

Jace had already whipped out his phone and was ringing up Clary.

When Alec lumbered back into the room twenty minutes later (having scrubbed himself free of blood and aching for the smell of sandalwood) the room was clean and Jace was waiting, stele in hand. Izzy was gone. As soon as Alec fell into bed, Jace grabbed his arm and stated tracing a rune.

"What's that for?" Alec mumbled distractedly, his mind already far away with sharp painful memories of a warm body beside him and a kiss to send him to sleep.

"Sleep" said Jace shortly

"But there is no rune for sleep" He wanted oblivion so badly that he did not even want to disagree with Jace. He didn't care if Jace drugged him into oblivion as long as he stopped _remembering_.

"Clary just invented it 10 minutes ago and sent a picture of it via MMS. I told her I had trouble sleeping" Jace smiled faintly at the memory. Alec didn't even hear the last bit. He was asleep the second Jace finished drawing the rune.

Alec woke up suddenly. There was dim light filtering into the room. For a minute he was completely disoriented. There was an unfamiliar sunken rune on his forearm and parallel scars which stood out among the smattering of older scars. Than it all hit him with the weight of a freight train - memory after memory. The world swum before his eyes. The pain was a raw wound bleeding guilt, anguish, regret and hopelessness. He had no future, no love to spend his life with. He was doomed to work for The Clave,- the Clave who showed him their spite every opportunity they got. To be forced to live with a thousand paper cuts every day. And what for? To languish alone and unwanted through his life? He could not even rise through the ranks of the clave. Not because he wasn't good enough but because of his sexual preferences. That had been an acceptable compromise if he got to spend his life with Magnus. Now he had nothing- for no other reason than his lack of social confidence. If he could just have trusted Magnus with his fears none of this would have happened. A wave of pain went through his head. He recognized the beginnings of a Migraine brought about by stress. He didn't particularly care. He wanted to die there and then. He wanted to not remember! He glanced down at his arm, grabbed the stele from the side table and retraced the faint mark left from last nights' sleep rune. 10 seconds later he embraced oblivion…

Jace and Izabelle checked in on Alec regularly but they always found him asleep with a fresh rune on his arm. Three days passed. Jace was officially released from the infirmary. Three days earlier Jace had snuck out of the infirmary (By begging Brother Jeremiah) to stretch his legs in the hallway. It was there that he had heard the ruckus Isabelle was creating at Alec's door. Needless to say he was in a ton of trouble when he got back three hours later, changed and showered. Maryse found the Angel wings resulting in a call for the full Conclave and lengthy patrol duties. It was with summons for war council that that afternoon that Jace & Izzy discussed what to do with Alec.

"He's abusing that rune!" said Jace

"Maybe it just hurts that bad. You barely got any sleep when you couldn't see Clary. He has an option otherwise." Said Izzy, reluctant to force Alec.

Jace sighed. "His absence will be noticed at the council. Everyone is supposed to be there"

"We could say he's ill'

"And then what? He can't escape reality forever. Maybe being busy would help him get better. Not to mention he'll kill himself if he sleeps 24/7.

"Alright" said Izzy defeated. "Let's go wake him up"

Magnus sat on the couch curled into a corner. He seemed to have become part of the furniture. He hadn't moved in three days. Breaking up with Alexander had been one of the hardest things he had ever done. And yet hundreds of years of relationships had taught him when to breakup. He could not live with a person who would rather plan a whole F- intrigue with his enemies than just ask him if he could be mortal for him! He still could not process the fact that Alexander had doubted his love so much as to go behind his back. He had shattered what they had and then called it "_just one mistake"._ What was worse was that he _understood_. He knew how insecure Alexander was. How he had immense trust issues. He had hoped they were beyond that now. He knew Alexander was jealous of everyone in his past. He knew Alexander was afraid of his immortality. That Magnus would move on to someone else like he had with countless others. But Magnus had hoped that with time they would deal with Alexander's fears together. _It still did not give Alexander the right to plan intrigues to make him mortal! _In his books it was as bad as murder.

He knew he had to move on. Hell it wasn't the first time he had been betrayed by a lover. Yet the misery and pain which accompanied this breakup were new. Sure breakups were painful but they were not life consuming! He realized he was going into severe depression. He did not want to move, or eat or work. It did not arouse his concern. He didn't care if his life fell apart - If his phone rang, if people banged on his door, if the chairman hissed or even scratched him when he neglected to feed him. There was so much sadness, so much grief that it felt as if someone had died. He had not hurt this much since his mother had killed herself in the barn. Treachery after treachery. His life was one huge list of betrayals. It was why he hadn't had a serious boyfriend/girlfriend in over a hundred years. Not since Camille, and what a manipulative bitch she had been.

He remembered every moment with Alexander. He had not felt this alive in centuries. Alexander had toned down his world weary cynicism and shown him the brighter side. His selflessness had made Magnus look selfish in contrast and had made him try so much harder to be magnanimous. His awkward yet innocent and straightforward questions and his inability to lie had brought out honesty and compassion in Magnus. He had made Magnus a better man. For the time he was with Alexander he had been proud of himself for contributing to the greater good, for helping with momentous actions for justice and good. And Alexander's trust fragile though it was brought him so much happiness. Where another person would have doubted his motives, Alexander never did. In return Magnus who did not easily entrust his heart (though he often gave his body to people in an imitation of love) had handed Alexander his affection on a platter. 'And apparently it had not been enough' thought Magnus bitterly.

He could not help relive the past six months in detail. Like a collection of clips of their time together. _The blushing boy who awkwardly walked in on his party; Alexander writhing in pain and bathed in sweat as he purged him of the greater demon's poison, Alexander kissing him hard on his doorstep- when he didn't even know how to; secret dates with Alexander when every sound had them jumping apart like guilty teenagers, Alexander cold, wet and unmoving on the truck floor in the middle of the Hudson, as he did compressions on his chest to help him spew water; Alexander saving his life when he was outnumbered by demons in the attack on Alicante; the sheer joy when Alexander kissed him publicly in the hall of Accords; the feeling of power, speed, skill when he shared Alexander's training in battle and the realization that Alexander was his equal in power (though it was completely different) despite his tender age; Alexander's first time at sex, his blush, his gasp of pain when he entered him, his shrieks and moans of pleasure, his loss of control to him; and then the days roaming the world, seeing everything a new with Alexander's wonder, and nights of driving each other crazy with pleasure. Sex with Alexander was different. Their mutual love made it beautiful. With Alexander sex was an act of ultimate trust and he had been proud to hold it. And then Camille came in poisoning his relationship. Alexander became jealous, insecure and mistrustful. He started wondering about Magnus's past and future, wondering if he was just another gullible conquest. It hurt when Alexander questioned him. It hurt that Magnus could not allay his fears. No amount of reassurance seemed to work more than momentarily. Magnus tried to find some means to make Alexander immortal. He for the first time in his existence considered becoming mortal. What he had not realized was that he had already lost Alexander. That there is no relationship when there is no trust._

A vase exploded on its decorative pedestal. A glass went zooming into the wall to shatter into a thousand pieces. And Magnus felt he embodied those sharp broken pieces of glass. I was a little while later he realized he was sobbing. Magnus Bane, The high Warlock of Brooklen was sobbing like a teenager who had lost first love. He was disgusted with himself. But then maybe it was first love of sorts, for he had never loved like he had Alexander. The sun went down, enshrouding the room in darkness. It came up again to reveal Magnus still in the same pose, curled on the couch though this time asleep with exhaustion.

**I don't know how much longer I could take this fanfic. I have ideas for the next chapter but nothing for what would come afterward except hazy visions. I believe in staying loyal to CC's layout. If you have any awesome ideas of where to take this plot please let me know. And review RIGHT NOW. It ensures I get down to writing the next chapter. **


	3. I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed

_**Sorry I was gone so long. Please read and review. They mean the world to me…**_

When Jace and Isabelle walked into Alec's room, it was dark. Isabelle switched on the side lamp. Alec was sound asleep. Jace picked up Alec's wrist. The rune was fading though not completely gone.

"Good. We don't have to cut it to wake him up. It should be gone within the hour" said Jace brightly

Izzy bit her lip. "So until than…?"

"We stay right here" said Jace sitting down in the arm chair beside Alec's bed. He pocketed Alec's stele from the mess on the side table. "Better safe than sorry" he said in reply to Izzy's raised eyebrows.

Alec woke to the feeling of being watched. Years of shadow hunter training made them all sensitive to that sort of thing. But even as he struggled to sit up the break up with Magnus tried to overshadow the present. The feelings of inadequacy and guilt attempted to fragment his mind. His ears heard voices talking. His mind refused to process them. Someone was calling out; repeating a word right beside his ear in a too loud voice. He wished they'd shut up. He saw flashes. Magnus stared at him sadly calling out to him- _"Alexander__Gideon Lightwood…" ;_ He saw Camille laughing at him. He heard Izzy frantically calling his name. He saw Magnus turn around and leave; Camille's blonde bloody head tucked under Maureen's arm as evidence; Jace lying on the hill cold, bloody and dead; Magnus going down in the chaos of battle. He felt ice water submerging his body and flooding his lungs; He felt someone shaking his shoulder; His mind was absolute chaos. Was someone talking to him? He could not tell under the onslaught of his recent nightmarish memories. Magnus pale and unmoving, his red leather armor coated in sticky blood; Jace with a Glorious through his chest; Magnus looking down at him at the subway station holding a flickering red witchlight stone; Looks of disgust on the faces of visiting Shadowhunters when they talked to him. "Wake up! Alec you have to wake up!". He heard someone saying as if from the far end of a tunnel. If only all the faces and all the voices would disappear! He wanted to embrace the dark, the silence, the peace. Suddenly a sharp searing pain in his arm brought the chaos to a halt. He opened his eyes slowly (appreciating the silence for just a moment) to see Izzy and Jace nearly nose to nose with him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

5 minutes earlier…

When Alec sat up against the pillows Izzy called out to him. "Alec! Alec?" but there was no response. His eyelids fluttered. He muttered and groaned caught in a nightmare as the effect of the sleep rune faded. Tears ran down his cheeks from under closed eyes. Jace shook his shoulder.

"Wake up! Alec you have to wake up!" she said right next to his ear

Alec's hand groped on the side table for a stele. Neither of them paid attention to it knowing Jace had stowed the stele away. However, suddenly Alec's hand emerged from the junk holding a tiny five inch long razor sharp dagger which, with lightening speed, Alec buried in his other upper arm. A scream escaped Alec's lips as he slowly opened his eyes.

"Alec!" said Izzy going white to the roots of her hair.

Jace grabbed both of Alec's hands. "You will not move" Jace growled.

Alec who looked dazed and slightly confused just nodded. He didn't look down at his arm or the dagger. Indeed he seemed unaware there was a dagger in his arm though he was biting his lip in pain.

"Alec you have to stop doing this" Izzy pleaded. "Cutting yourself does not make it better!" Alec stared uncomprehendingly at her. She was in tears, a torrent dripping down her face.

Jace let go of Alec's hands when he felt no resistance from him and clamped down on his upper arm above the dagger to reduce blood loss. With his other hand he swiftly pulled out the dagger. A spray of blood erupted and a ragged gasp escaped Alec's throat before he pursed his lips. Jace grabbed the stele at his belt and expertly started drawing the iratze only to have Alec's arm wrenched out of his hand as Alec jumped off the bed and away from them backing towards the other end of the room.

"Stay away from me!" said Alec in a terrified yet determined voice. His unclamped arm was now rapidly dripping blood on the floor. A look of hurt and worry passed over Jace's face before he masked his emotion.

"Alec. You're hurt. Let me help you" said Jace calmly and slowly in an effort not to spook him any further. He advanced slowly towards him with his hands raised in front of him in a gesture of surrender, the stele back in his belt.

"I said stay away from me!" Alec shouted in panic backing further away. Jace halted but tried again to sooth him. "Alec. You're going to bleed to death if you don't let me help you. Please let me stop the bleeding" Jace said trying not to let his desperation bleed into his voice.

"No iratze. I won't take an iratze!' said Alec sounding hysterical. He wasn't afraid of the dark place which encroached on him daily. What was death but peace from chaos. But he was terrified of the memories which engulfed him in his waking moments. When there was no space for reality and he was forced to relive his memories; when his will slowly crumpled and disappeared; when he would do anything to make it stop. A bleeding arm was nothing compared to the chaotic nightmare his mind became…

"Alright. No Iratze." Said Jace bringing Alec back from his contemplation "Can I bandage your arm than?"

Jace took the stele out of his belt and threw it behind him before slowly advancing towards Alec. He was close to panic. If Alec didn't let him deal with that arm soon he would have to force him to. Alec was swaying on his feet, the puddle at his feet getting alarmingly large.

"ok" said Alec in a small voice and sat down suddenly as if his legs had given way.

"Izzy get a First Aid Box" said Jace tersely as he rushed towards Alec to clamp the wound again. Izzy who had been watching the exchange wide eyed and white faced snapped into action.

"Give me a tourniquet" Jace snapped as she returned. She did so. Jace tied it above the wound, significantly slowing the bleeding. "He'll need stitches". They had all learned field first aid in case runes were not an option. But Jace had better medical knowledge than the average Shadowhunter because of Valentine's rigorous training of anatomy and survival skills and fortunately it had included putting in stitches.

Jace got an antiseptic needle and thread from the first aid box and threaded it. "This will hurt. Don't move or flinch." Alec nodded. "Unless you've changed your mind about the iratze? It would be a lot easier…"

Alec shook his head almost violently taking an involuntary step back.

"Alright, alright- let me sew this up than" said Jace with resignation. Helping Alec into the chair, he very carefully started placing stitches in Alec's arm. It took two stitches to the artery and six stitches to the skin to close the wound. He then slathered antiseptic cream and bandaged Alec's arm. True to his word Alec took it all stoically despite the absence of painkillers- not a sound escaping his clenched teeth. Izzy held his hand the whole time tracing soothing circles at the back of his hand and biting her lip.

"Don't move that arm about for at least the next week" said Jace as Alec and Izzy exhaled in relief that it was done. He then settled on Alec's bed determined to get answers.

"Now talk. Why did we have to go through this?" demanded Jace

"It's complicated" Alec croaked, voice hoarse from pain and disuse. He was developing a headache- probably from the blood loss and had no interest in talking.

"We aren't going anywhere" said Izzy gently. She was desperately hoping there was a rational explanation to Alec's erratic and frantic behavior, other than insanity.

Alec was holding his head in his hands by now. He glanced up at Izzy.

"You're wrong Izzy. The cuts do help. The pain helps me grasp reality. Pain is not too great a price for sanity- don't you think?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Jace flabbergasted.

"Don't you get it? I can't escape the memories otherwise! I need something in the present to latch on to."

"Alec we are here for you. You have a life of your own. Latch on to that." said Izzy. "We can stay with you until you're better you know. You don't have to live with cuts all the time." Izzy continued gently.

Alec just shook his head mumbling "It doesn't work like that. You saw. You were here today"

"Fine." Izzy sighed. "But eat something. And once you have something in your stomach we'll discuss the emergency Clave meeting we're attending tonight". Izzy got up from her perch pulling Alec with her who complied reluctantly.

"What emergency?" asked Alec despite himself.

"I'll give you the gory details after lunch" said Jace with a slight smile. "Taki's?"

"Alright" said Alec a little uncertainly.

The three left the institute together; Jace and Isabelle grateful that Alec was taking interest in his life again. It wasn't perfect but it was a start.

_**This isn't complete by a long shot. But I was feeling guilty for not updating and decided not to wait for the rest to come. **_

_**If you liked it review; If you hated it still review; If you found discrepancies in language, plot, story line or any aspect of the fic, REVIEW; If you found a dialogue rushed or unsuitable REVIEW; If you were unable to suspend disbelief REVIEW; If you were frustrated by an abrupt ending REVIEW; If you found typos, errors, or grammar mistakes, copy paste them in your REVIEW! **_


	4. I am no better than you

**Sorry. I have been gone forever. But I was out of inspiration. If anyone has ideas after reading this chap post them in a review or something. And for people hoping Alec would meet Magnus at Taki's- sorry to disappoint you. They have issues which won't be solved by just seeing each other. Besides all the other post breakup writers have already written that scene… =)**

Lunch at Taki's was slow. Alec played around with his food and barely ate a few bites despite Izzy's harassment. Jace filled him in while he tried to eat.

"Maryse found angel wings in the library yesterday. They looked like they had been freshly cut off an angel" Jace waited for Alec's gasp of surprise, only to be disappointed. Alec was stabbing his ravioli as if it had done some personal harm to him.

"Alec? Did you hear what I said?"

Alec was silent a long time, staring at his plate. "He loves ravioli… We went to this restaurant in Venice where they make them fresh. He bribed the staff into letting us into the kitchen to watch the chefs making it…"

Jace and Izzy froze, hoping Alec would keep talking, if they didn't interrupt. He had to talk to get better.

"He would feed me one piece at a time…" said Alec punctuating each word with a stab of the fork. "said ravioli was meant to be savored". The china plate broke down the middle when Alec stabbed his food for the tenth time, the fork embedded in the wood of the table beneath.

"Alec?" said Izzy tentatively, gently removing his hand from the fork buried in the table.

Alec was trembling all over. "WHO SAVOURS RAVIOLI?" he half screamed half sobbed. "It is bland! Meant to be swallowed fast and downed while it's yet hot".

"Alec!" said Izzy enfolding Alec's sobbing form in a hug. "It will be alright" she cooed in his ear as she felt his tears on her shoulder. "You won't hurt forever. You will heal. It will be alright.."

"What if I don't want it to be alright" choked Alec. "I swore I loved him. I do love him! What sort of person will I be if I forgot all my promises!"

"sshhh" said Izzy half cradling him. "A practical one. Your declaration of love was true when you gave it; is still true now when he has left you. But he will not expect you to abide by it in the future, for he would not either"

"You don't know that!" said Alec hoarsely. "Besides it's my fault he broke up"

"Whatever you think you did Alec it's not your fault."

"I considered striking a deal with Camille. Killing Rafael in return for Magnus's immortality. I refused but Mags couldn't forgive that I had to think about it. That I didn't tell him"

"Out of love Alec- "

"I don't think you get it Izzy. I chose when to end his life _without his consent. _There is _no_ excuse!"

Alec stormed out of the booth, past Jace who had stepped out during his breakdown to appease the waitress by paying for the broken plate, and out the door.

Magnus was woken from where he had been dosing on the couch by someone ringing his bell like a man possessed. He swore he might just kill his visitor. However when he growled down the intercom no one answered. Swearing violently about pranks he made his way back to the couch only to be roused by the bell again. He stormed out his door and down the stairs, his anger getting the better of him (completely forgetting he was still in smelly, wrinkled, three day old clothes) and wrenched the door open. He halted stunned. Outside his door, Rafael leaned against the wall, a lazy bland smile on his lips.

"You!" Magnus sputtered, trying to regain his rage.

Rafael raised his eyebrows.

"What do you want?" Magnus almost snarled. He did not have the energy to deal with Rafael's snide politics today. In fact he knew he was in no condition to conduct any sort of business right now.

"It seems immortality is finally getting to you. Your fashion sense has certainly declined along with your taste in men. Still playing pet for the clave?"

"We are done! The Clave can find someone else to play with." Magnus growled

"Really?" Rafael laughed. "And here I brought you such an attractive business proposition. But if you've discarded your Shadowhunter boy toy already, I can't imagine why you would care what we do with him"

Magnus's blood ran cold. "What do you mean?"

"Magnus, Magnus. Do you discuss all business outside the door? Let us go up. Sit down. Drink over this. He is but a toy. We all discard toys all the time" said Rafael smiling slyly.

"Don't play with me!" said Magnus his hand trailing blue sparks all of a sudden.

Rafael just smiled and walked past Magnus up the stairs. Magnus trailed behind him all the way to his loft, where Rafael sprawled on his couch.

"So you must have heard about Camille. She was your ex after all"

" Heard what?" said Magnus in a flat voice

Rafael laughed again. "You haven't heard. Magnus you _are_ getting old. Where have you been these past four days? In a pond? Hendwil would be disappointed. His gossip queen, not so up to date anymore."

When Magnus just continued to give him the death glare Raphael shrugged. "Camille was killed four days ago in the old subway tunnels at Maureen's hand. She's been stirring all sorts of trouble ever since. Claims your shadowhunter was there. It would suit us if you would avenge your dead love right about now." Rafael sounded bored.

Magnus went pale to the roots of his hair.

"Alexander is dead?" he gasped in disbelief, his heart contracting into a ball.

"What? Unfortunately No." said Raphael smiling at Magnus's terror. "Camille is"

Magnus breathed again, taking a moment to steady himself.

"And why do you think I would do this for you Raphael? I don't deal in assassinations." Magnus replied coldly.

"Because we have an _attractive_ offer. Besides you don't actually have to slay her. Just tie her up and hand her over. All it takes would be a snap of your fingers… and in return" Raphael lowered his voice to a whisper "we will make your toy nephilm… _immortal _"

Magnus gasped, too shocked to give reply.

"No" he whispered. "No!"

Rapheals brow creased in displeasure though he tried to hide it.

"Why not? He certainly didn't hesitate barter your life's length. And you are not even shortening his life span.". Raphael's voice was getting into Magnus's aching head. Magnus wanted so badly to end the root of all their disputes. How long could Alec stay mad at him if he did this?

" _You will have an eternity to make up with him" _Raphael's seductive voice whispered.

Magnus suddenly sat down on the edge of the couch, head in his hands. He had barely slept at all these past couple days, and it was taking away his ability to think straight. The memories of Alexander haunted him when he was awake. Nightmares about him visited his sleep.

"No" he sighed. "He would not want it.."

"But it will serve him right. Don't you think? You hurt so much Magnus… and so does he. He is not even capable of functioning as a shadowhunter with you out of the picture. Would you leave him broken and helpless for the rest of his life?"

"He will heal. And f..forget me one day" said Magnus though he sounded lost and uncertain.

"Are you sure?"

Magnus did not answer for a long time. Finally he said in a trembling voice "Can I think about it?"

Raphael's eyes narrowed. "Think warlock. But do not think too much. I want an answer by nightfall".

That said, Raphael abruptly walked out of Magnus's apartment leaving Magnus staring at the wall with wet eyes…

Oh and reviews guilt me into writing so u might want to try that…


	5. All the ways it hurts

**THIS CHAPTER IS RATED ****M ****FOR GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND TORTURE. Not a lot but it's graphic. The last and second last paragraph of the Alec scene. **

Alec was blindly rushing along the pavement towards the institute when someone grabbed his left arm and dragged him into an alley. He gasped in pain as the stranger's fingers dug into his stitches and he automatically threw a punch. But even as his fist connected with the stranger's face, someone else pressed a rag to his nose. The last thing he remembered was a sweet cloying stench before the world went black.

Alec woke up to a pulsing head ache and voices. He sucked in a ragged breath and tried to open his eyes only to realize he couldn't. He felt the softness of a blindfold on his face and the tightness of bindings on his wrists behind his back. He realized he was tied to a chair and that there were people around him. He also discovered that his whole left arm throbbed, his shoulders ached from being pulled back, his wrists hurt and his hands were completely numb. From the way his body felt he guessed he had been there for quite some time.

"So do you think the warlock will keep his end of the deal" asked a scared voice.

"You think too much Diego. He will do as he is told if he values this" said a bored voice with a kick to Alec's shin.

Alec gasped in pain and surprise.

"Someone's awake" said the previously bored voice excitedly.

"But we can't do anything. We have orders, remember?" said the timid man

"And you think _that_ would stop me? I have a nephilim here. You can't expect me not to play with it." The first voice snickered.

"Soo…Alexander, do u know how _many_ of my brethren your parents have executed? Let's see how much of the plundered money they are willing to return. How much are you worth to them Alexander? A faggot and a useless one at that… bringing shame to the institute. Maybe they will think good riddance and I could play with you till you die… You should hope for your sake that they pay fast…because the longer I keep you (a cold blade caressed his cheek and he flinched) the more I get to play." The voice laughed.

Alec sucked in an apprehensive breath, his heart racing. He felt fear when he had never known it. Would Maryse and Robert care about his fate? Would they find him..? He knew they would give up after an initial search. Would they pay ransom for _him? _And to a Downworlder? It would be bad for the clave's image. The clave sacrificed warriors all the time. They did not bow down to Downworlder demands. He couldn't help thinking that maybe his family would be better off without him any ways. He wouldn't be a perpetual embarrassment to his parents. He wouldn't hinder his family's career with the Clave by his mere presence. And he wouldn't hurt so much inside. He hated that his captors called him Alexander-something Magnus called him. The voice seemed to be suggesting revenge against his parents just now. But when he woke up they had been mentioning a warlock and a deal… was Magnus involved somehow? He couldn't be involved…could he? He knew he had betrayed Magnus but would Magnus betray him given the chance? SHUT UP he thought to himself. Don't destroy the beautiful memories you hold of him by baseless doubts, like you did before. He wanted to die knowing Magnus loved him. If die he must, his conscience would be clear knowing his death would benefit his family. And Magnus, who had already broken up with him would move on. Magnus didn't need him like he did Magnus. If only he could end his life without being tortured for days and being held as a threat over his family, he would believe he had foiled his captors…but how to do that?

He felt a knife rip through his shirt, and he flinched again. He heard a cold chuckle and realized that the person was removing his shirt by shredding it so he did not have to untie him to get it off. He hated that he could not see. He felt goose bumps rise across his exposed chest from cold and apprehension. A cold sharp tip of a bade pressed against his nipple and cut in a few centimeter deep. He felt himself go rigid, muscles in lock down, teeth clenched, as he felt the sharp pain. Than the process was repeated on his other nipple. Two small metal clamps, with sharp teeth were clipped over both bleeding nipples. Similar tiny clamps was clipped to the middle finger of each of his hands. He could hear the person fiddling around with something as the timid man tried to persuade the other man not to disregard orders. Suddenly the clattering stopped.

"All done. Are you ready Alexander?" asked the voice just before hundreds of volts of electricity shot through his nipples and out his fingers. Alec screamed not even aware he was screaming, body rising in the seat and writhing against his bonds. It stopped after a couple seconds leaving him gasping. His head was buzzing and he tasted blood. After a while he realized his nipples were on fire worse than he thought possible, his stitched arm was bleeding again and his fingers felt bruised.

"What do you think? Fun isn't it. Let's try again"

Magnus was sitting on his couch, chin on knees, arms wrapped around his legs. He had never felt so conflicted. He knew he shouldn't at any cost have Alexander change into a vampire, even if did mean immortality. Shadowhunting defined Alexander. He loved the job he had been born into. He also had been raised to hold Downworlders in contempt, though his naturally fair mind had eventually over ruled that upbringing. And yet he pictured Alexander lying face down in bed for days at a time. Listless eyes staring at a wall. He knew their relationship had also defined a part of Alexander. The part he had hidden and suppressed most of his life. And breaking up with him had hurt him just as much as he hurt himself, even though he was the one who had betrayed him.

"So what did you decide?" A sleek voice whispered in his ear.

Magnus jumped almost a foot in the air before regaining some of his composure

"How did you get in here?" he gasped out.

"Magnus, there was a time when you could spot a hologram a mile away. Now you can't tell when its right next to you.." scoffed Raphael.

"So what did you decide?"

Magnus remained quit for a while. Then he said softly "No"

"why not?"

"I can't put him through worse than he is already going through. I have to trust that he would heal in time. I can't destroy everything he stands for"

Raphael smiled sweetly. "Alright then. If that's your final answer. Though Magnus? You might want to keep in mind that we already have Alexander. And the other vampires might not be so forgiving as to just release him for nothing. You might want to give them some incentive to do that."

"Aren't you supposed to be in control of them?" Magnus almost snarled, not believing his ears.

"No. Maureen is heading the New York vampires." Raphael laughed. "Did you forget?"

"So you're telling me that you need my help to kill a thirteen year old girl who became a vampire last month?" asked Magnus in disbelief.

"She is Lillith's vampire, and she trained her well. Killing Camille would have been no easy task. And she managed quite well", said Raphael displeasure coloring his voice. "But all you need to worry about is that Alexander dies if you don't hand over Maureen. And I suggest you do so soon. If you don't believe me just call him."

"Very well Raphael…" said Magnus in a dangerously low voice, anger glinting in his eyes "but remember, if you harm a hair on his head you will be next to die."

Magnus sat back and dialed Alec's number just as Raphael's hologram disappeared.

**Review please..and the next chapter will be super fast… **


	6. Abducted Again

Alec was drifting in and out of consciousness. His sadistic keeper had let go after two hours of shooting high voltage electricity through him. His chest hurt, his nipples were still burning hours later and were probably swollen, and his bruised fingers had lost their capability to bend. He believed that a lot of his skin had sizzled away around every clamp, leaving the jagged teeth embedded painfully deep. Hours passed in darkness. He was jolted awake from his pain induced stupor by the ringing of his phone. He realized that his things must be lying close by. But his hands and feet were still bound tight, and his eyes were blind folded. He heard footsteps approaching as his phone rang louder.

"Well, well, look who is calling. If it isn't the high warlock himself. Maybe we should let him know how you are doing Alexander."

Alec's heart soared. _Magnus_ was calling _him_. He wanted to talk to him so badly that he actually struggled against his bonds. Alec assumed his captor must have taken the call as he started a conversation. Unfortunately Alec could only hear what was being said on his end which did not give him much to go on.

"Hello" – the evil man purred

Alec was thinking over things he should say to Magnus. Maybe if he yelled loud enough Magnus would hear him. But he had no information what so ever about his captors. Only that there were two men who were holding in an unknown location.

"I'm sorry he is indisposed right now. Please call later"

Alec's heart sank.

"Oh you want confirmation he's here do you? Fine … here you go

Without warning the man turned the electricity on to the clamps still digging into his tender tortured body. Alec screamed. Through the blinding pain Alec felt him press the phone to his mouth. With a supreme effort of will Alec held in his screams and spat the words out through clenched teeth- I… love… you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Raphael reached the hideout from his lodgings forty minutes after he ended the holographic conversation at Magnus's. Even vampires were bound by traffic jams. He was in a foul mood. He had hoped Magnus would fall for his offer. Instead he had had to force Magnus to get what he wanted. For all his faults, Magnus Bane was still a formidable enemy and Raphael actually wanted to live in New York. He just hoped that his men had followed his orders to keep Alexander Lightwood safely detained. He knew he played a dangerous game. But he believed the Clave would never find out. Magnus would not want to admit his part in the affair even to Alexander. And as long as Alexander was returned without harm no one would notice a few days of his absence. Alexander would keep thinking it was hate/vengeance abduction. And Magnus could go rescue him with the location _he _provided him. He could even sacrifice the vampires posted as guards. That phone call would have reassured Magnus Bane, that he truly held Alexander. He smiled, by morning he would have Maureen…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx

Magnus was trying the locating spell, and failing because he kept forgetting the words as his mind kept replaying Alexander's screams. "I love you" Alec had said through torture and pain, when it was his connection to him that caused him that agony. Magnus sat down on the floor against the wall, trembling, stifling sobs, as he felt guilt, pain, grief, terror, desperation and debilitating rage. If he saw Raphael now he would burn him alive and damn the consequences. But right now he needed to focus. Alexander needed him. And every second he delayed Alexander paid for it. He took a deep breath, spoke the enchantment and focused all his will on finding Alexander. He waited for the spell to work… and saw only darkness. He punched the wall in the frustration and barely noticed the pain. He thought hard for a few seconds than rushed to his couch searching for some trace of Raphael. After five minutes of desperate searching he found a thread from his jumper. Magnus tried the location spell again this time focused on Rapahel and got a location a couple blocks away. He created a portal right there in his sitting room and disappeared through it.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx

As soon as Magnus's call dropped the electrocution ended. Someone removed the clamps from Alec, much to his relief. Suddenly Alec's bindings fell away. It felt as if someone had slashed through the tight ropes at his wrists and ankles. If Alec had been capable of any movement now would been the time to take action. Unfortunately Alec did not even have the energy to raise his arms and remove his blind fold. He was barely conscious. Someone shoved a t-shirt over his head and forced his frozen aching arms through long sleeves. He gasped in pain as the t-shirt rubbed his chest. Someone than picked him up bridal style, and walked a distance. He was dumped in what felt like the back seat of a car. He passed out as the car started moving.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When Raphael entered the storage room he had rented it was dark and eerily silent. Immediately he knew his henchmen had bailed out on him. They had probably freaked out. Jared was a tough nut but Cole was the most terrified vampire he had ever seen. Cole had been terrified that the Clave would find out and have him killed through the whole thing. Cole had probably released the shadowhunter when Jared was not looking. Raphael was not stupid. He knew Alexander Lightwood was an accomplished shadowhunter, despite his dating preferences. Alec could have easily overpowered both vampires if he had gotten free somehow. It was then that he smelt the blood. Not vampire but shadowhunter blood. He zoomed towards the chair in the corner. There were slashed ropes around it on the floor, and droplets of blood on the floor. Raphael felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He was in some deep shit alright…


	7. The Search

_**Sorry I was gone forever. And thank you everyone who reviewed, favourited, followed. I'm not big on writing fiction. But the fact that people were following this story eggs me into writing. Only yesterday someone followed/favouited. And I was like wow. Someone is reading this 1 and a half month after a I posted the last chap. Hence this. **_

When Alec had run out on Jace and Izzy, they had followed, only to have him disappear on them. They had both assumed Alec had wanted some privacy. When they got home Alec had not been there. Both had expected he would be back in a couple of hours. However eight hours later, there was still no sign of Alec. His absence had been noticed at the conclave and Jace had had to cover for him. Izzy dialed Alec's phone as she waited for Jace to come out of the conclave, but it went straight to voice mail. She tried every half an hour but to no avail. By the time the meeting ended Izzy was pacing outside the doors waiting for Jace.

"Alec's not answering his phone" she burst out as soon as she dragged Jace to a corner away from the shadowhunters milling out o the library.

"Have you considered he might be avoiding you on purpose? We do have caller ID these days" said Jace with exaggerated patience.

"Just do that parabatai location spell so I could breath" said Izzy not even noticing Jace's condensing comment.

Jace sighed. "Fine!"

He pulled out his stele and drew a _ rune on his forearm. His vision blurred and for a few seconds he was staring at Alec lying in the back of a moving car. His lower lip was bloody and he seemed to be unconscious. Than just as suddenly he was back in the institute nearly nose to nose with a frantic Izzy.

"so? Is he alright? Where is he?"

"I don't know. He's in a car. A moving car. He was asleep or unconscious in the backseat" replied Jace confused and worried.

"What! What's he doing in a car"

Jace shrugged, his brows creased in worry.

"Could you get a location. Where is the car?"

"I could try. But I don't expect to get anything. It's dark outside."

Jace redrew the rune on his arm this time focusing on where Alec was. His vision blurred and he saw a four wheel high roof black car speeding on a highway, before the vision disappeared.

"Anything?"

"It looks like the interstate. A highway." said Jace bleakly.

"It sounds like he was abducted. He would never leave the city willingly!"

"Yes" huffed Jace.

"How do we track him? ...Magnus?"

Jace looked reluctant. "Perhaps we should keep trying this rune every fifteen minutes. They should get somewhere sometime."

"And what if you don't recognize the place?"

"There must be a sign board; the name of a street or a shop. If I catch sight of it we will know where to go."

Izzy looked conflicted. They both knew they were losing time waiting for Alec to get somewhere. They could be traveling towards him right now. But both also knew that Magnus would probably not even attend their call. And Alec did not seem in imminent danger.

"Alright." She gave in. "I'll keep an eye on the clock".

Maryse was surprised when she heard the gong of the institute doorbell at eight' O clock at night. It seemed a downworlder had come to the institute. She made her way slowly down the elevator and to the huge double doors. She pulled open the door cautiously only to find no one there. Brow creasing she pulled out a seraph blade and stepped outside. It could all be a lure to get her out of the institute. But there was no one outside. The wind blew gently on the deserted street, showing no sign of anyone. It was then she stepped on something thick. She realized it was an envelope addressed to her and Robert. She opened it and found a letter wrapped around a picture. She glanced at it and felt her heart contract. It was Alec. He was sitting in a chair hands loosely at his sides. But his head hung to the side as if he wasn't conscious. There was blood dried on his lip and chin and he looked paler than usual. There was a cracked wall with peeling yellow paint in the background. The time stamp placed him there earlier that day. With a sinking feeling she unfolded the letter.

_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Lightwood,_

_I'm sure you remember the vampire purge ten years ago. After all you are enjoying its fruit even today. But I and my brethren have decided to claim back what was rightfully ours. Deposit ten million dollars in the account number at the back of this letter or else your son dies. Contact the Clave and as you are well aware your son will be 'sacrificed for the cause'. I will personally ensure his end is not an easy one. Make sure the money is in the account by tomorrow, 3 pm. Any effort to find us would be a futile one. We have made sure of that. _

_Regards and have nice day._

The letter was unsigned. 

Maryse trembled. Rage and fear warred inside her. Rage won. _How __dare__ they abduct a shadowhunter? How DARE they abduct HER son? The vampires thought themselves safe. They would regret this. The accords be damned. _She strode towards the library to contact the local head of the vampire Clan. If she could not control her vampires, she would wipe out every blood sucking creature in the city. She would teach them a lesson they would remember for centuries.

Magnus got to the rundown warehouse within two minutes. He ran through the unlocked door in to the darkened warehouse and came to an abrupt stop. The warehouse was empty but for a slight shadow crouched by a chair looking up at him. Magnus saw red. Before Raphael even processed who he was seeing he was strung upside down in the air with flames engulfing his legs till his knees.

Raphael screamed, afraid for the first time in centuries.

"WHERE IS HE?" Magnus shouted. "IF YOU DON'T TALK IN THREE SECONDS I WILL BURN YOU TO CRISP!"

"I don't know. I swear I _DON'T KNOW" _Raphaelsobbed. "Stop. Just Stop. Put me down. I'll talk. I'll tell you everything."

"No" said Magnus in a furiously calm voice. "You're lying. These flames will continue to burn you until you your lying manipulative mouth speaks the truth"

"He was here." Said Raphael tripping over his somewhat muffled words as he talked through clenched teeth._ "_I told them to keep him here _safely. _I didn't tell them to hurt him!" He yowled as Magnus increased the heat of the flames. "I swear. I told them to hold him. Just hold him safely till our deal was done."

"Who are 'they'?"

"Some Vampire henchmen. No one important. They supported me in my bid for power. Didn't want to serve a thirteen year old kid"

"Names."

"Jared. Cole" gasped Raphael.

"Give me something belonging to them"

"I don't have anything"

"Where do they live?"

"At 86th street. Alice Building. 4th floor."

Magnnus stared at the writhing Raphael for a moment. "If you have lied I will rip your heart out personally"

"I haven't. Now PLEASE. Put me down"

"Sure."

Raphael crashed to the ground just as the flames disappeared, only to find his body paralyzed.

"You will remain here while I investigate your words. If you have spoken the truth I will release you. If you have not I will kill you. But until then, enjoy the captivity."

Raphael flew into the chair and his wrists and ankles were bound painfully tight. The blindfold flew towards him and tied itself over his eyes. Under normal circumstances he could have easily broken through the bindings, but with Magnus's paralyses spell in place he was helpless. Just as helpless as Alec had been.

Maryse stared with contempt at the thirteen year old girl before her.

"The Clave have let your Clan live as long as it does not interfere in our matters and harm no human. But if you had doubts as to if this included abducting Shadow Hunters let me set them aside. Each and every member of you clan would be hunted and staked if you do not return my son!"

Maureen gave a small smile.

"Who said we have your son?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Sorry guys. I know this is a bad place to stop. And nothing happened yet. I also know that this chapter feels like a filler. And its bcz it's not exactly a complete chapter. But I wanted to post something tonight. It's been a long time and I was feeling guilty. Review. Tell me how u feel… _


	8. The Escape

_**For those of you who found Magnus OOC in the last chap it was because he was bordering hysterical. Anyways- don't hate me for the short chap- I thought something is better than nothing. It took forever bcz I had to research the pattern and layout of American highways and gas stations. Review and tell me how you found the dialogue- bcz I wasn't satisfied with it.**_

_**And thank you for all the follows and reviews. I was amazed to find that I got follows even after weeks of not posting. Every response from u guys pushes me into writing some more. **_

Maryse stared with contempt at the thirteen year old girl before her.

"The Clave have let your Clan live as long as it does not interfere in our matters and harm no human. But if you had doubts as to if this included abducting Shadow Hunters let me set them aside. Each and every member of your clan would be hunted and staked if you do not return my son!"

Maureen gave a small smile.

"Who said we have your son?

Maryse's lips tightened, but she picked up the note and held it up for Maureen to read.

"Do you have proof we sent that? Because none of my vampires did" Maureen said with supreme unconcern.

Maryse bit out her words with a furious forced calm. "Every vampire in this city is _your_ responsibility. If your incompetence can not keep them in check we will kill _any _vampire we find. Not to mention that you will be on every hit list- both ours and your own people's."

Maueen's eyes narrowed at Marys's threats but all she said was "You can try nephilm" before she disappeared.

Alec woke up slowly. He was stiff as a board and every inch of him hurt. He experienced a moment of vertigo as the car turned. Wait a minute -car? It was dark and he could hear two men talking. It took a minute before he remembered the horrifying incidents of the previous day.

"It will be dawn in an hour. We need to shack up."

"Do you think Rapahel is tracing us Jared?" asked a timid voice

There was a short bark of a laugh. "I'm sure Bane would have killed him by now. The deal was we turn this piece of shit into a vampire and Bane would hand over Maureen to Raphael. Abduction was not part of the plan. And we all know Bane hates it when someone cheats him on a deal"

Alec couldn't breathe, couldn't believe his ears. Magnus wouldn't do that to him. He was angry at him, but even angry Magnus _loved_ him. He knew how much Alec loved being a shadow hunter. He wouldn't do that to him. Would he? And for what reason? They had broken up. It's not like he wanted eternity with him. Did he want to destroy his life just to spite him? A muffled sob escaped his lips in the silent car. Alec went still, pretending to be unconscious.

"What was that? Is he awake? He's not even tied up" someone snarled

Alec held his breath as he felt a torchlight flick across his face, and then over the rest of him- checking if his posture had changed. _Please let them not notice the tears. Please don't see the tears. _Alec breathed as the torch was turned off.

"He's still asleep." Said the timid voice

"Well get the ropes out of the trunk and tie him up when I stop for gas. We don't want him springing on us"

"Ok. How long do we have to keep this up?"

"Until master says otherwise."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alec lay still for the next fifteen minutes or so until they stopped at a self service gas station. They both got out, Jared going to fill the gas tank as the timid guy walked around to get the rope out. Alec knew he had seconds to attempt his escape. Besides he was in no condition for prolonged fighting. The windows were blacked out so when he sat up neither of the men outside noticed. He frantically glanced around. There was no weapon in sight, not even a pocket knife or a pencil. Alec considered his options. Guessing from the fact that they had been working with Raphael and needed to hide out in the day, Jared and the other guy were vampires. That meant he could not outrun them or knock them out with a lucky blow to the temple. Then he spotted his phone lying near the front. He grabbed it than paused. A call would not help any of them unless he got help instantly. Magnus had the required skills both of coming to his help and dealing with his captors but he did not want to call Magnus after finding out he was in this whole mess because of him. And he did not want to appear as if he could not survive without his help (yes he was insane enough to _still _care what Magnus thought of him). Instead he called Clary. Reliable non-dramatic Clary.

Alec could hear the guy fumbling in the trunk for the rope as Clary's phone rang. _Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up_. From the sounds of it there was plenty of junk in there. He heard his triumphous voice say 'Found it!' just as Clary said "Hello?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Clary was in deep sleep when her phone went crazy. She blearily sat up around the third ring and glanced at the time- 4 AM. She checked called id and saw 'Alec'.

"What on earth?" She mumbled and picked up the call.

"Hello?"

"I'm on a Shell station 60 miles from Jacksonville." He hurriedly added the station's name just as there was a loud "Hey!" in the back ground. It sounded like Alec threw a punch. There was the sound of the phone hitting concrete and the call dropped.

"Alec?"

Clary was both confused and worried. Where was Alec calling from? Did he need help? Why was he calling her? She called back only to be told by a mechanical voice that the phone was switched off. She called Jace. He picked up on the first ring which was odd considering the time.

"Clary! What's wrong?" Jace sounded wound up and stressed.

"I don't know. Alec just called me-"

"Alec! Thank Raziel. What did he say"

"He said he was at a gas station near Jacksonville."

"Jacksonville?"

"Yes. Before he could say anymore there was sound of a struggle and the call dropped"

"Bloody bastards! Clary could you portal there?"

"Whaat? No. I can't portal to places I've never seen."

Jace gave off a frustrated sigh and by the sound of it punched something.

"Jace. Talk to me. What happened?" But Jace had already flipped his phone shut. Clary stayed where she was for a moment thinking. Then she got her laptop and started googling for a picture of the gas station.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_**Review please**_


	9. Help me!

_**AN: Another short update. But it is sooner than usual, so I hope that would make up for it. **_

Two hours earlier…

Magnus got to the location Raphael had given only to see the rundown building up in flames with the fire brigade outside pumping water into it. It was chaos: People running, the fire brigade rushing, the roar of the flames, the head count, the rescue operation and the screams. With a helpless sinking feeling he grabbed a rushing fireman's arm and shouted "which flat?"

"Number 4, second floor" he shouted back without stopping. And just like that all of Magnus's fears were confirmed. This whole thing was a much deeper plot than it had appeared. It was not Raphael who had ratted on him this time. Raphael was trussed up in a storage seller somewhere. No. The enemy had been one step ahead of him the whole time. Raphael had just been a pawn to confuse. He had been lead on and manipulated. May be Raphael had intended to do as he had said. After all Raphael had every reason to want to overthrow Maureen. But someone had manipulated Raphael's plan for their own ends. However he could figure out the grand plan later. Right now he needed an innovative way of finding Alec. Something which his enemies would not expect of him. He sat down on the curb deep in thought. He was a warlock. Hence people expected him to use magic to achieve his aims. But barred from that what could he do? He could use mundane means. He had seen enough police shows to know how they worked. It was time he went to the police for help…

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

As soon as the timid guy opened the door to Alec's side of the car he threw a punch. The guy managed to shout a "hey!" before he fell backwards. Alec leaped over him and ran. He knew they were close on his heels but he had to buy time. He had nearly made it out of the gas station before he felt a hand grab the back of his shirt. He threw another punch over his shoulder, barely slowing down. It made contact with the vampire but he clung on. Left with no choice Alec stopped and struggled to get Jared off himself. Alec punched him in the stomach just as Jared's teeth penetrated his arm. Jared pulled out a knife and flew at his heart. Alec side stepped him but the knife scratched his ribs. Jared pounced again. Alec spun away and ran again.

Alec ran off the highway and into the sparse scrubby uneven land to the side of the road with Jared hot on his heels. When he felt Jared right behind him he threw himself sideways to the ground and rolled. He caught a glimpse of a knife buried in the ground where he had been a second ago. He stopped rolling and dived towards the knife only to collide with Jared's form. They struggled on the ground, rolling to and fro, neither able to get to the knife. Frustrated Jared bit into Alec's neck, teeth sinking deep, drinking deeply. Alec struggled but soon his struggles slowed.

Alec felt the sharp painful stinging of the vampire's teeth in his neck. He struggled for a second but soon his world became a comfortable haze. He could not remember why he needed to struggle or even what was happening. There was something very important that he was supposed to be doing but what was it? It was purely from years upon years of training that his hand reflexively albeit feebly searched the ground. It came into contact with the knife, which he grabbed and sunk deep into the side of the person on top of him.

Jared screamed and jumped off Alec. Alec came to, with a snap, not remembering why he was holding a bloody knife or why the world was spinning- knowing only that he was in danger. Alec struggled onto his knees, praying the spinning would ease. Jared could see the shadow hunter was weak. And though he was enraged he also knew his master had charged him to keep the shadowhunter alive. Alexander Lightwood was no use to them dead. With the supernatural speed of his kind he knocked out the dizzy boy with a blow to the head and easily carried him back to the car in a fireman's lift. "Where the fuck were you when I was fighting the boy?" snarled Jared at Cole as he trussed up the boy in ropes and dumped him once again in the back. Cole who had been cowering behind the car the whole time had the grace to look ashamed as he got into the passenger side.

Jared glanced at his watch with a frown as he started the car. The dratted boy had cost them half an hour of their precious time. He barely had 30 minutes before the sun came up. He would barely make it to Jacksonville. They would have to floor it, or stop midway and crawl down a manhole to escape the sun. Just then, he noticed a bright light in the rear view mirror a few feet above the ground. SHIT! He floored the gas just as geared shadow hunters poured out of the blinding light.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jace was the first one to step through the portal. Even as he fell towards the ground, he saw a black high roof speeding out of the gas station. With the speed of only the angelically graced Jace whipped out a dagger and threw it aiming for the left tire. The jeep was way out of range for anyone else's throw, but Jace's dagger hit true, embedding deep and instantly being crushed under the revolving tire. The car was flung forward a few feet and the tire burst, but Jared did not ease on the gas, resulting in a screeching axle moving the disbalanced car forward.

The Shadowhunters ran after it, but even without a tire the car was faster than them. It was then that a speeding Beatle entered the gas station. It was Magnus, who screeched to a halt next to them. "Get in!"

They all piled inside the Beatle and Magnus floored it before they even closed the door.

Jared knew he had little hope of out speeding a fully functional car with a bust tire. He saw a manhole and suddenly breaked turning till his vehicle till it was blocking all three lanes. Then he dived out, grabbed the manhole cover, pushed Cole into the dark hole, dropped Alec through it shouting "catch him and run!" and was about to jump in himself when someone clenched his collar and bodily threw him onto the hard concrete with enough force to make him see stars.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Magnus barely avoided crashing into the horizontal vehicle, breaking and turning the wheel till he was horizontal too. Jace jumped out before the car even stopped moving and ran. He lifted the vampire about to jump in the man hole and slammed him on the road. He glanced in the jeep, realized Alec was not in it and jumped into the manhole without a thought for how far he would fall.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_**Remember, reviews get me to update faster. Good, or bad, let me know how you found this**_


	10. Lost

**Thank you for the reviews and follows everyone. They were great. And thank you to KatielovesPeterpan who's five reviews made me guilty enough to work on this. Oh and thank you to me who has stayed up till three on a school night. ;p**

**And in approximately the 3****rd**** last paragraph of the previous chap, it's not a screeching axle but a screeching steal rim which is moving the disbalanced car forward.**

Cole was good at very few things. His life had always been of mediocrity even deficiency of thought. When he had been human he had been wimpy. He had been an ease loving gamer dude. When an accident forced him into vampirism he became the worst vampire in existence. He was easily bullied, had absolutely no fighting skills and ended up being pushed around by literally everyone. His life was dictated by eternal fear. However, there was one skill which Cole had learned; one skill where he had learned to utilize his vampiric speed and grace; one skill where even his fear was not an impediment: Running. It had been essential for his survival and Cole excelled at it.

When Alec fell down the dark manhole, many feet below Cole caught him, and ran with everything he had. Cole was terrified that Jared would kill him if he lost Alec or the shadow hunters would kill him if he slowed down. Hence he ran blindly on the narrow foot path alongside an underground stream which he landed on. He took the first turn he saw and then the next and the next- till he was hopelessly lost. And yet he continued on running further and further in the sewers till he was in two feet wide alleyways with damp water pipes crisscrossing on all sides. Even the air was moist. These paths had been built for repair workers and plumbers and had been clearly neglected for years. It was pitch black, damp, and infested with cockroaches. After running flat out for four hours Cole decided to rest. His body was getting slow and tired as the sun reached its peak and he hoped that he had lost his tail. He laid Alec down and sad down on a relatively dry patch of ground against a rough mold covered wall and slept.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

4 hours earlier

Jace jumped into the darkness and landed many feet below on very dimly lit narrow footpath- the only illumination from the manhole above him. The rune for enhanced vision allowed him to see where he was, but he was still limited by the dark so he could not see much into the distance. He heard the brush of silent running feet and followed but soon they grew silent and Jace was left in the dark with barely an idea of where to go. The stench of sewage was unbearable, the walls mossy, and the tunnel very damp. He tried the prabatai rune again to find Alec but saw only darkness and the whisper of running feet. With no way to track Alec through the sewers Jace decided to go back to enlist Magnus's help.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Earlier…

Izzy, Clary and Magnus rushed out of the car only to find Jace, Alec and the other guy gone and the gaping hole of a manhole greeting them. Izzy choosing for them all chose to interrogate the waking vampire (who had previously been unconscious), pulling him from his hair and holding a seraph blade to his throat.

"Where is he?" she snarled

Much to their surprise the vampire started laughing.

"You think we had all this planned? Having the prisoner make a run for it and then getting waylaid by you lot?

Izzy spluttered clearly at a loss.

"I don't know where he is. All I know his he will be doing his hardest to get away from here" Jared sniggered

"Alright than. You can begin by telling us your name." Magnus cut in, in a steely voice, the maniac look in his eyes killing Jared's laughter. "And then his name. And then telling us which of these things in the car belong to him. Because rest assured that the law might prevent these shadow hunters from killing you in cold blood, but I have no such qualms what so ever. I am the high warlock of Brooklyn. Killing overambitious criminals is part of the job description"

With a flick of Magnus's hand Jared flew out of Izzy's grip and hung upside down in the air. Another flick of his finger and twin slashes appeared on his wrists which started bleeding.

"Magnus!" Clary shrieked, horrified at what was happening. Izzy was white but silent as if struck dumb. "Magnus, stop! This isn't you. You don't have to do this!"

Magnus continued, ignoring Clary completely. "These slashes will not heal. You better start talking before I drain all your blood out"

Jared was white though he didn't make a sound. "Jared" he gasped. "my name is Jared".

"Jared. Not so cocky now that you are with me are you. What was it you said? Alec is_ indisposed _right? Well I'll make sure you're indisposed for the rest of your life! Now talk! What's the name of the other vampire?"

"Cole"

"And his things?"

Jared remained silent.

"Tell me" Magnus growled as another slash appeared on Jared's throat.

"Magnus enough!"Clary sounded almost in tears. At the same time Jared gasped

"The jacket. I wore his jacket to hide the stains"

Jared's jacket flew of his frame and into Manus's hand, who turned around and walked away, leaving Jared bleeding and hanging in the air. Clary glanced at Jared than hurried after him, pulling Izzy with her. Magnus walked past the four wheel drive to his car, and collapsed on the ground leaning his back against the car door.

"Magnus! What was that?" Clary almost growled as soon as they got to him.

Magnus was holding his head in his hands, looking exhausted and surprisingly fragile.

"Magnus?" It was Izzy this time. "What are you not telling us? You did not have anything to do with this did you"

"No! Maybe. I don't know". He was quite for so long that Clary thought he was not going to tell them. Then he started talking in a harsh low voice so bitter that it terrified Clary.

"I called Alec last night. That guy back there-" he indicated with his thumb " Jared, he picked up. Said Alec was indisposed. When I demanded who he was and where was Alec he …" Magnus seemed to have lost his voice his eyes pooling over.

"Magnus!" Clary hugged him, and realized he was trembling.

"I heard him scream. You were not there Clary,- Alec never screams no matter how much pain he is in" Magnus continued in a muffled voice. "Over and over, the screaming wouldn't stop. And than…" Magnus barely held in a sob, "then he said he loved me. I could hear that he was in agony but he still stopped screaming… and said he.. loved.. me" Magnus was outright crying now, sobbing as Clary held him whispering meaningless soothing words at him as both she and Izzy cried too.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Alec woke up to darkness. It was extremely disorienting. Where was he? What was he doing here? He heard someone breathing close by but he couldn't see a thing. He felt around with his hands and found the slimy wall behind him. From the even breathing sound he guessed the other person was asleep. Maybe Jared had reached his hideout. Maybe the other person was another prisoner. Or maybe it was one of his captors. But whatever the case he was not willing to risk finding out.

With his bound hands and feet, Alec crept away as quietly as possible. He did not know how long he could crawl in the freezing cold with bound hands and feet, on the slimy wet floor, but he hoped he would reach the end of the room soon. A door, a staircase, anything which would lead him out of what he presumed was a basement. Unfortunately for him he ran into no obstacle apart from a few turns, which lead him to realize he was in some sort of a tunnel. With a sinking feeling it dawned on Alec that finding the way out of a tunnel would be much harder. He had to free his hands and feet or he would be lost.

After crawling for ages, through a number of twists and turns Alec deemed it safe enough to plop down and start working on his bindings. He did not know if he was far enough, but he could not move anymore. His left arm was throbbing in the cold and he cursed himself for that stab. Why had he been so _stupid? _How could he think pain grounded him? Alec realized now how disorienting and distracting pain was. His arms throbbed from being bound but also from the current which had run through him. To that was added his severely painful and swollen stitched upper arm. Why Oh why had he refused Jace's _iratze_? Oh right because he liked pain. It seemed his words had come back with a sting. His other arm held a deep vampire bite. As did his neck. His skin over his ribs burned from the cut Jared had delivered. And his whole chest was swollen and painful from Jared's ministrations. His clothes were slashed where Jared's knife had skimmed his ribs, and the freezing cold seemed to be seeping through, biting and burning till he was numb.

It would have been easy to give up. Lie back and drift into unconsciousness. But Alec refused to give up. Not when he was finally free of his captors. Not when he had lived through torture and pain. Not when he wanted to kill Magnus Bane for bartering his human life with the vampires. He would get out because no way was he going to give up his life to a bunch of screwed up vampires and a delusional warlock!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**What do you think guys? Like the plot development? Review!**


	11. Found

_**A huge Thank you to all my wonderful readers who stick with me even though I take like a month to update and my deepest apologies for the delay. There will probably be only one more chapter. Though I can't say for sure. I tried to make this one extra long to compensate for my laziness. **_

Izzy was the first to get a hold of herself, years of field training taking over.

"Enough. We need to go help Jace and find Alec. Magnus, how did you know Alec was here? Did you use a locating spell?"

"No. It didn't work. I went to the mundane police and tracked the GPS from Alec's phone. Then I portalled to the closest town I remembered being to-which was still an hour's drive away- and drove here."

"Do you think you can track him now" said a new voice.

"Jace!" cried Izzy and Clary.

"Did you find them?" said Izzy just as Clary said "What happened?"

Jace shook his head "Too dark and too confusing. It is too easy to get lost and there is no trail to follow. The underground network of tunnels is huge and complicated. We need to track him- which brings us back to the original question- Magnus, can you track him?

"They have blocked Alec somehow. He is untraceable; probably a shielding charm of some sort. But I can track the other vamp-Cole now that we have this" said Magnus holding up the dull jacket, "thanks to the hostage you left us"

"About the hostage" said Jace. "You couldn't have found a less conspicuous way than leaving a bleeding vampire hanging in mid air? This is the national highway! If a truck drove by right now, we would be in so much trouble!"

"Fine" said Magnus and they all heard a body crash to the ground behind the cars followed by a moan. Jace rushed to bind him, and Magnus conjured some silver manacles.

"And Magnus. The clave require him alive. They would probably like to question him"

"Alright!" Magnus huffed.

Magnus located Cole deep inside the underground maze with who was steadily moving at an astonishing speed.

"It will take hours to get to him!" exclaimed Jace.

It had been an hour since Cole ran, and they could not lose more time and they had little hope of overtaking him on foot with the speed he was going on. They finally decided to drive to the spot and then to find the closest man hole to descend down. The next hour and a half was spent finding the closest roads, and then driving through fields (with help from Magnus) when there was no road in the right direction. Unfortunately for them it was another hour before they could find a man hole and begin the search. A little less than five hours after Cole's escape, they found him asleep on the ground alone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx

After what seemed like hours of jiggling and fumbling Alec managed to un-loop the rope around his feet. He had failed to undo the knot, but Jared in his hurry, had not trussed up his legs as tight as his hands. All his movement had loosened the rope enough that Alec was able to drag the loop over his feet after prolonged effort.

Alec could not feel his feet at all. After what seemed like ages of trying to wiggle his toes enough sensation returned that his feet started stinging. Another ten minutes and his feet were killing him, though he believed that they would probably hurt worse if he ever got out of the numbing cold.

With a great effort of will Alec staggered to his feet. His whole body protested the movement but his training allowed him to overcome it. With bound hands trailing on the wall he started shuffling, following the tunnel onwards. After hours in the dark his eyes were able to discern very faint shadows. It was by feel that he discovered the hundreds of pipes on the sides of the path he was on. The other side held a roughly hewn slimy wall. It was this combined with the humid air and the never ending tunnels that allowed him to guess he was down a manhole. Their pursuit of demons had taken them down many man holes over the years, and all water work tunnels felt the same.

Alec had absolutely no idea where he was. He guessed that the dawn must have come upon the vampires forcing them to go underground. But he reasoned that if he could find another man hole he could climb back out into the world of light and safety. He knew that tunnels got narrower as they lead away from the main waterway. So the Next time he came upon a split, he chose the larger tunnel.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx

Maureen had been inclined towards joining Sebastian in the war against Shadow hunters for quite some time. But ever since she assumed leadership she had not had an excuse to do so. She had not wanted to upset her charges any further than needed. So the New York vampire clan had stayed neutral. But when Maryse went on a vampire killing spree to pressure her, she unwittingly provided her the perfect opportunity. She smiled. Sebastien had provided a completely anonymous and protected safe house for her clan. Maryse would have a hard time finding her.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sebastian paced his library deep in thought. The vampires were late. He should have had Alexander Lightwood in his possession by now. On the bright side however, he had the full support of the New York vampire clan now- exactly according to plan. Hopefully as word spread of shadow hunter atrocities the vampire clans in other cities should join him too adding to army he was gathering against the shadowhunters. As an extra Bonus the warlock should have gotten rid of Raphael by now, reducing another thorn in his side. It suited him perfectly fine to have Maureen as the Vampire head. Her allegiances lay with him and she was much easier to control. Sebastian smiled and poured himself some wine from the cutwork decanter on the desk. Shadow hunters were so predictable, so easy to manipulate, that it was almost too easy. He decided to call a vampire girl to play with as he waited.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx

Alec walked for almost two hours before he came upon the main water way. By this point he was so exhausted and so cold that he expected to drop unconscious any minute. He found a manhole but he could barely pull himself up one rung at a time. It took him five whole minutes of resting on the top rung before he even tried to lift the heavy lid of the manhole. Even then, it was only desperation to see the sun again that gave the burst of energy to do so.

It was 1pm in the afternoon. The winter sun was bright if not too warm. Alec didn't care. It was the warmest and the most welcome sight he had ever seen. He collapsed in the middle of the highway and sobbed. Alec was dimly aware when a car in the other lane slowed down and came to a stop. A minute later he saw an old man leaning over him.

"You alright there, son?"

He tried to respond but his lips wouldn't cooperate. The man dragged him to the side not too gently and he cried out as his bruised and battered body protested. The world was going dark at the edges but he fought it. He did not want to be surrounded by darkness again. He didn't know how long he lay there. After a while he realized that a number of people were leaning over him asking him something. What were they asking? As he was shifted him onto a gurney the world spun and finally went dark.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx

Jace , Izzy, Clary and Magnus were back at Magnus's messy apartment. After searching for hours and hours in the tunnels without direction they had given up and came back. Cole and Jared were being questioned by the Clave, and both had no idea where Alec was.

"What do we know, let's go over it again." said Izzy.

"We have been over this a hundred times already" Jace groaned. Clary wrapped her arms around him to provide a measure of comfort. All four had bruising purple circles under their eyes. It was 10pm, and they were all exhausted.

"We know that Alec got away somehow in the tunnel" said Magnus.

"He must have gotten at least his feet free somehow, because he couldn't have gone far with them bound. And we checked every where near Cole's hideout." Reasoned Clary.

"He should have called from somewhere by now" said Jace voicing everyone's worry.

"That's assuming he got out of those tunnels at all. What if he is still down there?" said Izzy biting her lip. What she didn't say but everyone thought about any way was- what if he was unconscious? Or dead from the cold?

"If he was well enough to escape he would have gotten out" said Jace furiously. He seemed to be trying to convince himself. "We all know how to get out of sewers. Just follow the larger tunnels. We have been there enough times to know how to get out."

"Hmm…" said Magnus suddenly appearing thoughtful. " Let's assume he got out. Why would he not call home unless he couldn't? He was hurt. And getting out would take a lot out of him. May be he passed out before he could call?"

"What are you saying…that we should search above ground?" asked Jace

"Wait a minute! Jace! When was the last time you used the parabatai location rune."Clary asked wide eyed.

"Shit. I forgot to try again. Last I checked was when we found Cole. And I just saw darkness. I couldn't even see Alec"

"That was eight hours ago. Try now. If he got out you should be able to see!" exclaimed Izzy.

Jace nodded and hurriedly drew the rune. He closed his eyes as Izzy, Clary and Magnus waited with wide eyes and bated breath. Jace saw Alec, who was clearly asleep in a hospital bed. The covers pulled up to his chin. His neck seemed bandaged. Jace opened his eyes and grinned.

"He's alright! In a hospital somewhere."

"Thank Raziel!" Izzy exclaimed and hugged Magnus's trembling form. Clary held Jace.

It was Izzie who voiced the question- "could we find out which hospital, in what city?"

"Of course we can." Said Clary. At Jace and Izzy's surprised look she said "This is the United States. Obviously if someone found him unconscious they called 911. That means the cops would have a record of him. Let's file a missing person's report and tell them Alec disappeared on the way to Jacksonville. They'll know where he is."

"Clary, did I tell you, you're brilliant?" asked Jace, kissing her passionately. Izzy smiled.

"Let me get a picture of Alec, and then we could go to the station down town." Magnus said as he rushed into his bedroom.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xx

Alec woke up to a steady beep beep somewhere nearby. The ceiling was white and unfamiliar. He was warm and he hurt everywhere. He groaned. He tried to pull himself into a sitting position only to realize that his hands were heavily bandaged and sent pain shooting up his arm when he put pressure on them. In fact there were quite a lot of bandages over him. His side and chest was wrapped up. So were his hands and feet. The bite on his arm and neck was bandaged and taped. His other arm was taken care off too. And there was a huge needle in his wrist connected to some liquid in a bag via a clear tube. And other wires were attached to his chest. He couldn't breathe. Frantically he pulled at the wires with his clunky bandaged hands. No more wires. Damn it. He would not be connected to anything electrical. The beeping went haywire. He didn't care. He breathed again when all the wires fell away.

He had been alone in a ward. But the beeping seemed to attract people. He heard running feet in the hallway and the door burst open with a nurse, closely followed by a junior doctor.

"You're up." The doctor exclaimed with some surprise. Than "what do you think you're doing?" .

Suddenly the eyes of both the doctor and the nurse went blank. They mechanically turned around and walked out. Surprised, Alec glanced up to see Magnus, Clary, Izzy and Jace in the doorway. He had never been so happy to see his siblings. Izzy ran to him with tears in her eyes. "You're alright!" she exclaimed as she nearly bowled him over in her enthusiasm, and only let go when a cry of pain escaped him. Jace and Clary came over too. Jace grinned and patted him on the back, and Clarys smiled and said "Hey". Magnus hung back and Alec was grateful for that. He did not want to deal with Magnus now. He was furious with him but he did not have the energy to be angry. Magnus stalked to the heart monitor and pulled out the plug to stop the beeping. Alec ignored Magnus completely and asked Izzy and Jace "What took you so long?"

Izzy laughed. "You have no idea, do you. You were magically untraceable."

"And that tracing rune was nearly useless!" Jace exclaimed.

"It's a long story." said Clary with a smile.

"You're hurting. Let me heal you" Magnus put in quietly.

"No." said Alec flatly. "I'll take a rune". He could not bring himself to care about the hurt he saw on Magnus' face at his rejection. Magnus could go to hell.

Magnus sighed. But Jace pulled out a stele, ridiculously glad that Alec would accept an iratze. He had not forgotten the hysteria over an iratze two days ago, though it felt like months had passed.

As Jace unwrapped Alec's hands, Alec asked "What's wrong with my hands? They weren't hurt."

"Your hands and feet suffered from hypothermia. Your hands are worse because they were bound longer. Apparently the ropes slowed down circulation, and it was freezing down there. Though you should be fine with an iratze" Izzy finished.

She came to his side and started unwrapping his other hand. The siblings chattered on, as they drew a number of iratzes all over Alec. Magnus hung near the door quite and forgotten.

_**This isn't finished. There shall be more. Meanwhile review?**_


End file.
